The present invention relates to an applicator and in particular to an applicator suitable for applying matter such as vaccines which are required to be applied by way of injection.
The present invention has particular application to the application of vaccines to animals such as sheep, cattle, pigs and the like. It should however be appreciated that the invention has equal application to the application or injection of matter such as vaccines to humans.
Reference is made throughout the specification and claims to "matter to be applied" and it should be appreciated that this covers vaccines, liquid foodstuffs and other matter that is required to be applied by way of injection.
Up until this time numerous problsm have been associated with the application of matter by way of injection, and in particular problems have arisen in the area of application to animals such as for example sheep, cattle and pigs.
In arrangements provided up until this time, the needle or means for applying the matter has often been exposed.
This has been dangerous from the point of view of the people using the applicator and also dangerous from the point of view of the person or animal being injected. Due to exposed needles, they have often been broken off before, during or after application. This has therefore caused infection and discomfort, as well as being generally inefficient and in some cases expensive.
It has also been a problem with applicators used up until this time, that it has often been necessary and indeed difficult to hold an animal still while applying vaccine. For example, it has often been necessary to first hold the animal, thereafter positioning a needle in the correct or desired position then entering the needle into the animal and thereafter actuating some appropriate means (such as depressing a plunger) to cause matter to be applied to be injected into the animal through a needle. This has been difficult and time consuming.